Through Eyes Unclouded
by Minker-bean
Summary: TEU has been discontinued. Sorry! D:
1. Prologue

_**Notes:** Okay, uhhh... Well, this is my first fic on here and therefore I have little or no idea what to put here. XD; So.. This is so short because it's the prologue, of course. ;D Well, enjoy. R&R? xD;  
_

_  
Also, if you can't tell, it's to be a Clorith fic. c8_

_KH is nawt mine.  
_

_**Dedication: **Mostly to **Skaites**, and also to anyone out there who bothers to read it. I thank you whole-heartedly.  
_

_ - - -  
_

A light sigh was heard over the clanking of silverware. Only one set of eyes, grayblue in shade, turned to peer at the one who let the deep breath escape. Despite a rough scar that ran between them, making them seem a bit ominous, the eyes were full of concern- though their owner would never admit to it. Said man examined the sullen girl for a moment before speaking.

"He'll come back, Aerith," he assured. He set his own utensil down for a moment in an attempt to put more meaning into his words. The man sitting across from him raised a yellow brow as if questioning the other's sanity.

Gentle green eyes moved from the plate before the brunette girl to the face of the older man. "I know, Leon," she breathed, "but I'm still worried. He said he would be back in a few days..."

"But it's been three weeks!" announced a sudden voice, high in pitch and much too happy-sounding for the current situation. Three sets of eyes turned to rest on the black-haired teen. Satisfied that she had everyone's attention, she continued with a toothy grin, "Face it, Rithy. You picked one serious jerk to be your boyfriend!"

Aerith's eyes travelled back down to her untouched plate. "I'm sure there's a reasonable explanation as to why he's taken so long... I hope he isn't hurt," she added, expression saddenning further yet. Yuffie eyed her for a moment before blurting out again. "You gonna eat that?"

"Yuffie!" Leon hissed, turning to give the young would-be ninja a deadly glare. Yuffie opened her mouth to object but was cut short due to the soft screech of someone pushing out their chair. She stared at Aerith, as did Leon and Cid, who was now standing and readying herself to turn away. The pink-garbed woman exhaled and pushed in her empty chair. "You can have it, Yuffie. Excuse me." With that, she spun around and started for the door.

"Hey, wait," Yuffie started, blinking dark gray eyes rapidly, "I didn't mean for you to--"

"Leave 'er be," ordered Cid, relaying his focus back to his dinner and proceeding to continue eating.

In no time, Aerith had vanished and the other three were left eating without her. Yuffie had since begun to shove the extra plate of food down her throat. A low growl came from Leon; "You're so selfish..."

"Shut it," the girl commanded with a mouthful, "or I'll eat you, too."


	2. Ch1: The Presence of Darkness

**_Notes:_** _Wow. I didn't expect to get 6 reviews on such a short piece. Thanks, guys! You really gave me motivation for this chapter. _

_On a side note, I'm sorry this is still a bit short. I'm going through a bit of a case of writer's block. I promise to make longer chapters in the future._

_Again, thank you all so much!_

_Also... KH is not mine. If it was, then... Well, I don't think people would be as happy with it. ;  
_

_- - -  
_

**Cloud's P.O.V.**_  
_

- - -

Darkness. That's what made up my life the past few weeks.

I see no light; no hope, no happiness, no future. Nothing. Nothing but shadow, hate, and confusion. _Where_ is my light? I think I left it behind when I went away. Five weeks ago, I left Hollow Bastion to look for Sephiroth. Like always, I had trained so much and so hard that everyone else was surprised I didn't collapse every day. Like always, I thought I had been ready to take him on. Like always, I was wrong. I don't know why someone so insecure like me can have even the tiniest bit of confidence; especially when the enemy I have to face is a man like him.

He's hardly a man. More like a demon. Sephiroth is the devil to me, and if I don't defeat him, he'll take me farther into the darkness and the evil. I don't think I deserve Heaven even without him and the darkness, but I don't want to end up in Hell any more than the next guy.

So I went to hunt him down, and it turned out that he was the one who found me. Being the idiot I can be sometimes, I hadn't been expecting him to leap out of nowhere. I was just trudging along and the next thing I knew, I was face-first on the ground with the devil's sword sticking through my back. If I would just give in to the darkness already; accept it, _welcome _it, he promised to heal me and make me stronger and more powerful. As I did all the other times he made similar propositions, I wondered for a moment what it would be like to be stronger. I hestitated in my answer, as whatever it would be would have a major affect on me. Either I could be stronger, but take the chance of hurting the people I cared about, or I could tell him to leave me the hell alone and be beaten even more before he would go away.

As usual, I ended up turning him down. The thought of causing my friends more pain than I already did horrified me. They already had enough burdens, and I wasn't willing to become an even bigger one. Sephiroth expressed his disapproval in the usual manner; making me miserable physically and emotionally. By the time he had finished with me, I could hardly move because of all my wounds and I just wanted to disappear or die; it didn't matter as long as I didn't have to keep on living in this cruel world.

I hadn't been expecting what came next, though.

My left shoulder ached as it usually did, no thanks to the black wing that had tainted it for so long. However, much to my surprise, I felt a shooting pain identical to that I had felt when the wing first tore through my skin, though this time on my opposite shoulder. What was Sephiroth up to?

The next instant, I was overcome by agony. It wasn't just my shoulder. _Everything_ hurt. My head was spinning; I couldn't think of anything but the pain. My vision was blurred horrendously; I saw nothing aside from black and red. Soon enough, even the red disappeared and my world faded.

It must have been days before I woke up. The first thing I noticed upon regaining my vision was that I was covered in blood. My wounds were healed, and I thought perhaps that someone might have found me and tended to my injuries. Upon closer inspection, though, I noticed that the dried liquid that coated me was all different shades of red. I recognized the color of my own beneath all the others and was horrified.

What the hell had happened? Either a lot of injured people had walked by and just decided to bleed all over me, or _I_ had hurt them all. Had I not really been knocked out cold, but just lost mental consciousness? Had I attacked people while in that terrible state? I glanced over at my sword, its hilt securely in my hand, and was greeted only by shiny metal. I was stupefied to find that it was perfectly clean.

It has been three weeks since then. I still haven't the slightest clue as to what happened. On my back are two matching wings. They have been there ever since I woke up that day. I constantly feel a burning hatred for Sephiroth, more so than usual, and for _everyone_. As soon as I lay eyes on someone, I can think of a million reasons to loathe them. Almost everyone I see, I wish death upon. I don't know what happened to me. I know I can be cold, but I have never hated like I do now. The only thing I don't hate is the darkness that constantly surrounds me. I want to hate it more than anything else, because that's what I think is the right thing, but my heart embraces it freely. It surrounds me constantly, but unlike before, it doesn't try to overtake me. It's finally content with me. I don't want to be content with it, but I am.

I am extremely reluctant to return home. If I don't even know what's wrong with me, who's to say I won't lose it again and hurt my friends? What if I hate them like I do everyone else? There are so many questions that I don't have answers for, so I decided to go back and try to find the answers. This confusion, this hatred, they're tearing at my heart and my soul; my soul that has never been so black and spiteful. I try to block out the darkness with light, but it grows angry whenever I do. I've been too selfish to try to overcome it. Why am I acting like this?

Isn't there anything I can do to stop from becoming part of the darkness?

_Where is my light?  
_

_- - -_

_**End Notes: **I guess all I can say right now is thanks for reading. XD; Please R&R if you please. 3  
_


	3. Ch2: Worry and Relief

**_Notes:_**_ Yey, even more reviews. D Thank you guys so much. I've been really busy lately but I forced myself to write this today, no matter what. Gotta please the readers, y'know? ;D_

_KH is not Mink's._ _If it was, no one would like it._

- - -

**Aerith's P.O.V.**

- - -

Cloud had been back for a week or so. Even though I was glad to see him, I was as worried as ever. He wasn't acting like himself. Being social isn't Cloud's strong point at all--in fact, I'd say he's horrible at interacting with others--but this was worse than usual. He would lock himself up in his room for hours at a time and wouldn't come out, not even to eat. I tried slipping food under the door, but when I would come back later, the door would be standing open to reveal the room with a distinct lack of Cloud, and the food untouched.

No one knew what the matter was. Cloud refused to talk to anyone. When someone would pass him in the halls and question him, he kept walking like he wasn't even aware of their existance.

Once I had a chance encounter with him. I was on my way to the reconstruction site to see if an extra hand was needed. The last thing I expected, although I knew I dreamed about, was for him to come around the corner in my path. Upon first sight, I threw my arms around his neck and rested my cheek on his chest.

"Cloud..."

He didn't even look at me. He pulled away and trudged on without a word. He left me to wonder what could possibly be amiss. Cloud would talk to no one, not even to me. _Me._ I was always the first one to hear his troubles, and as he _knew_, always the first to try comforting him.

Something was horribly wrong. I was extremely worried, and very, very scared.

- - -

"No no no!" Yuffie's voice was audible even over the ruckus of metal beams being dragged along the ground and nails being driven into slabs of wood. To the rest of us, that was no surprise at all. "You're doing it all wrong, Squally-poo!"

A loud thud resonated along the pathway of the reconstruction site. Leon was on a ladder leaned up against one of the buildings-in-the-making and had jerked upon hearing Yuffie's nickname for him, knocking a board off the roof and onto the ground 20 feet below. The fact that he lost what he was working on only seemed to add on to his anger from being called "Squall", much less "Squally-poo".

"Yuffie!" he shouted, voice almost as loud as the thump from the board. "Don't _call_ me that! How many times do I have to tell you?!"

The would-be ninja only gave an innocent laugh. Even I couldn't supress a slight giggle. Even if Leon didn't like it, I thought it was a cute name. He expressed his dislike even more when he climbed down the ladder and sent a glare in Yuffie's direction. He would never admit to it, but I saw a little spark of laughter, or happiness, or something like that in his otherwise dull eyes.

Moments like that left my mind completely empty of Cloud, like his room and the castle often were. Later on, I would hate realizing that I had forgotten him. He was the only man I loved like I did. If I could forget him, even for a moment, did that mean he was forgetting me, too? I didn't want to think about that. I knew that just having all of us together, alive and well, was a blessing, but the first thought of a life without him scared me more than anything else I could imagine.

Leon, upon finishing the spot he had been working on, instantly insisted that he had to leave. His admirer had other ideas. Cid and I actually had to distract her with a false claim that some munny had fallen under one of the raised buildings while Leon made his not-very-graceful but sly escape. He tripped over a cart in his haste and had to literally run all the way back to the castle just to make sure Yuffie wasn't trailing him.

Cid, Yuffie, and I stayed an hour or so longer, until it got dark. When we headed back to the castle for dinner, we were surprised to find it had been made by Leon before he went to bed. Cid complained about how he should never, ever even _attempt_ to cook again and Yuffie argued with the fact that he "made it with love out of the kindness deep, deep, deepdeepdeepdeepdeepdeepdeepdeep in his teeny tiny heart".

I didn't say anything about the food until I had finished and passed by Leon's room. He was already out like a rock. I couldn't blame him at all. Everyone had been working hard lately, but Leon always pushed himself farther than the rest of us, so it was no surprise he was sound asleep by 8:30. I uttered a quiet "Thank you," before continuing to my own room.

To my amazement, confusion, and joy, I found it occupied.

Cloud was sitting on the other side of the bed, staring out the window. He ran a gloveless hand over the sheets, flattening out the few wrinkles that were in them. That was relieving in itself. If he would fuss over such tiny things, surely he still cared.

The only peculiar thing I noticed was that the dark wing he had adorned a year or so ago was back, and it had a friend. There was a complete set of the ominous additions to his back now. I winced at the thought that I hadn't noticed them before. Was I really getting that ignorant of him?

I didn't have time to think up an answer for myself. The man I loved turned slightly to reveal the face that I adored and the look in his eyes that I missed. Until then, I hadn't realized just how much I had missed it. I don't remember shutting the door or walking to the bed; just suddenly being there half lying on the bed, half leaning into him, being cradled in the arms I had longed to feel for what seemed like years. It must have been at the very least an hour, just the two of us being there together, not saying a word, only enjoying each other's presence and feel. He wasn't as warm as I had imagined--he was even _colder_ than usual--but I didn't care. He was home, he was _here_, and that was all that mattered.

"I'm sorry," came his choked voice as he fondled with a lock of my hair. I told him not to worry about it, and although he didn't smile, I could tell he was relieved in the least. He added hushedly, "I missed you..."

A sigh heaved from his chest when I buried my face in it. "Oh, Cloud, I missed you, too."

- - -

**_End Notes:_**_ This is the part where you say "Awwww!" and then "Why did you cut off the chapter there? More fluff!" ;D_

_Thanks for readin. x3;_


	4. Ch3: Controlling Darkness

**_Notes:_**_ Well, this is reeeeaaally early. XD I felt bad for not updating for so long, so here's chapter 3 a lot quicker! It's longer than all the others, too. ♥_

_KH is not mine. If it was, there would be helluvalot more angst._

- - -

**Cloud's POV**

- - -

I really am sorry.

The anger that's built up in me is absent. Just being with her chases it away. Before, when she tried to talk to me, I ran off... Not because I don't care about her, but rather, because I was distraught. I didn't want to hate her. I _love_ her. I love her, and if I said so a thousand times in a row, it wouldn't be nearly enough.

That's the reason I want to leave. I love her too much to risk hurting her.

It's already 5:30. I haven't had such a long sleep in months; maybe even years. She makes me feel safe. Safe from the darkness, from Sephiroth, from anything that could possibly want to hurt me. But just my being here puts her in danger.

And I refuse to let my flower be choked by worthless weeds.

While Sephiroth is the first one that comes to mind when I think about weeds, I know I am one, too. Aerith is everything to me, and most importantly, my light. I, on the other hand, am nothing. I'm the one stubborn shadow that won't go away even in the brightest beam. It's about time I changed that. I won't let myself burden her any longer.

By the time I slip out of the bed quietly, it's almost dawn. She and everyone else will be waking up soon, so I have to get out as quickly as possible. I pull on everything I had taken off last night that would have made both of us uncomfortable, then make my way to exit.

I pause in the doorway to look back at her. She looks more peaceful than usual as she sleeps, and I wonder if I should go kiss her forehead and tell her good-bye.

I decide completely against it. Why should I taint someone so beautiful with such ugliness more than I already have?

A longing to look into those bright, happy green eyes one last time rises in my chest and claws at my heart. But that would mean waking her up, and I don't want to have to face her. I don't want to break her heart. And I absolutely hate good-byes... So I only utter a solemn farewell before I turn to go.

- - -

People have told me that they wonder if I can even feel. As good or bad as it might be, there are plenty of things I feel.

Right now, I feel horrible.

I didn't tell Aerith a single thing about what's going on with me. Most of the night was spent in silence, save a few "I missed you"s and "I love you"s. I hope "I love you" was enough for her to know that I care.

Anything. Everything. I would give it all away if I could be guaranteed a peaceful, long, happy life with the only one I love. That's how much I care. So, to hell with what they say. I feel more than they ever could.

I also feel hotter than usual. I think I have a fever, but that's... I _never_ get sick. Or at least, any sicker than I already am. Usually I do have a fever—it probably comes from all the stress—but this is worse. I've had to stop and rest twice today, and it's hardly noon.

To add on to that, my back aches. No, scratch that. "Ache" isn't strong enough to describe it. It's like someone took two big machetes and shoved them in my back. And the scariest thing is that whenever it hurts this much because of the wings, the Heartless don't bother me. Are they starting to see me as one of their own? I don't want to be considered among their ranks. I know I'm not perfect, and I know I'm dark, but not _that_ dark. Or have I gotten to that point?

A perturbing thought plants itself in my mind. All the dark people I know of who the Heartless don't attack are _obeyed_ by them. If they see me as another Heartless, or maybe something bigger and greater, are they willing to yield to my orders too?

I'm willing to find out.

And it should be just my luck that no one has been around the dark depths lately to clear out the pests. From the crystal fissure, I only have to take a few steps before a lone Shadow appears. It looks ready to attack, but eases up after a bit of staring at me. Even though I know I don't need to defend myself, being looked at so intently by a Heartless is unnerving. Its eyes are bright yellow, piercing, like any other Heartless; blank, and yet somehow...

_"Ally?"_

I jerk in surprise. I can... sense what it's thinking? How? Why? Can Heartless even think?

_"Master?"_

This is too disturbing. Maybe I should go... If I just go back slowly, maybe it won't do anything... The Shadow tenses. More Heartless appear.

_"Enemy!" _The same thing is coming from all of them. They're going to attack. "_Enemy!"_

"No!" is my spur-of-the-moment pretension. The Heartless waver in their attack. Do they understand me, too? A Soldier in the group jumps up and down excitedly. "_Enemy!" _it insists. "_Attack! Attack!"_

"No," I repeat, but this time it's stronger, more believable. "Ally."

That doesn't stop a hostile Wyvern. It swoops down at me, claws outstretched, but I had seen something like that coming and with one swipe of my sword, it's obliterated. The Heartless jump back in alarm.

_"Not ally!"_

My throat is suddenly very dry. My head is burning. The fever is acting up again. I can't take on all of these at once. I have to force myself not to sway from dizziness because that would give them the perfect moment to take me down... I can't defend myself...

_"__**Master!**__"_

The dizziness heightens and then is suddenly gone. I blink in confusion and amazement at the Heartless. They're all erect, as if waiting. Waiting to be given orders. But if I give them one, will they follow it..?

I nod at the Soldier who had adjured that I be attacked. In an instant, the other Heartless are all over it and in a matter of seconds, no trace of it is left except the fading heart that came forth from it in its demise. I release a breath I didn't realize I had been holding. They may have followed that one order, but that was only one... That was no guarantee...

"Go," I command, attempting a stern voice. They all retreat back to the shadows from whence they came. I start to get dizzy again, but not because of the fever. I feel so...

... _Powerful_.

If this is how all the other 'masters' feel, then... I don't really blame them as much. It's so... thrilling... And it's satisfying, knowing that I can control creatures like Heartless. If I had enough, maybe I could even use them to defeat Sephiroth, overthrow Maleficent...

"Come!" Another order spills out of my mouth, and the Heartless do as I say. The same group from before has returned, and I notice there are even more. Such power I didn't even know I possessed...

I bark order after order to them, and soon the entire area is a mess. A nearby cliff has a huge chunk taken out of it, the ground is clawed up, and some of the Heartless have been destroyed by others, but two more came for each one that was rid of. Amazing... But I'm still not content. I love the power, but I want _more_.

If I can control the Heartless, then I could make them leave Hollow Bastion. This whole world could be safe, and all the other worlds, too...

Aerith would be so pleased with me if I did that. Getting more power will have to wait. I have to tell her.

I order the Heartless away again before I start back for the castle at a run. Then again, I could make more Heartless obey me as I go along... Increase my abilities while I'm on my way... Yes. I need more power, and I'll get it.

It's getting to my head, but I don't care.

I _like_ it.

- - -

I made it to the castle a few minutes ago. The only problem is that I can't find anyone. No one is in their rooms, or the kitchen, or the library... And they aren't anywhere near the reconstruction site or Ansem's study. I sent a Shadow to scout over there, and there were no traces. Curious, I wonder where they could possibly be where I couldn't find them. _I'm_ the one good at hiding, and I have minions to search them out.

I suppose looking for them can wait. I need some fresh air. To the courtyard for me. It's only a little walk away. As I approach, I hear voices. Ah. So that's where they are. I hadn't thought to look there.

With a frown, I pause just inside. Everyone is looking serious—the something-is-wrong kind of serious—even Yuffie. Was there another attack on the city? Has another world been consumed by Heartless?

No one notices me. I think I'll wait to show myself until after their conversation. This pillar should provide a good enough hiding place.

"A couple of kids have gone missing from the city," Leon says grimly. I hear Aerith's sharp intake of breath and quiet utter of "Oh, no..." even though she tries to hide it. I could hear her voice no matter how silent it is.

Yuffie cuts in before Leon has a chance to continue, "Wasn't someone else taken by a Heartless lately?"

"Somebody said somethin' 'bout a weird one goin' around huntin' people," Cid agrees. "Said it was taller than a man but looked kinda like one, an' got fangs an' foot-long claws. Think I heard somethin' along the lines'a a wolfish head an' wings an' a tail. Antenna like Shadows, too."

"Do you think it was what took the children?" Aerith asks quietly like she hopes it isn't true but somehow knows it is.

"Yeah," says Leon. "And it could go for anyone else at any moment. We should heighten the security system."

"And go hunting for it!" Yuffie interjects with the energy she had been missing a minute ago. Leon, Aerith, and Cid all refuse instantly.

"We don't know how strong it is," Aerith insists. "Who's to say it won't hurt you, or... worse?"

That's my cue.

"I am," I announce as I step out from behind the pillar like I had only been walking by. Everyone jerks to look at me. Had they really been _that_ tense? Well, I guess it's no surprise after a talk like that...

"Cloud!" Aerith gasps, running to me. She must think I had run away again. I had, but... I'm back now so it doesn't matter. I just smile down at her when she questions me. "How can you help? You don't know how strong it is, either... Do you?"

"No," I say as calmly as I can. "I don't know, but it doesn't matter."

"Oh really?" Leon speaks up, eyeing me aggravatedly. "Cloud, haven't you learned yet that you're way too headstrong? You can't take on something like this by yourself."

I smile even more, and it freaks everyone else out. Do I really smile _that_ little? "I don't plan to take it on."

"Then what do ya _plan_ to do?" asks Cid.

"Make it leave," I answer simply. "I can control Heartless."

Everyone suddenly goes ominously quiet. I had thought that they wouldn't be really happy about it at first, so I have my next sentence planned out.

"Don't worry, I—"

"Cloud," Aerith says steadily like I'm some sort of child playing make-believe. "This is very serious. Please don't—"

"That isn't funny!" Yuffie scoffs at me. "Cloud, you're such a jerk. How can you go around lying about stuff like that?!"

"I'm not lying! I can! Just watch," I growl, raising a hand and pointing a few feet away. The Shadow from before—now just _Shadow_—appears. Yuffie, not expecting that, yelps and Leon moves to attack it.

"Don't!" I snarl as Shadow blends into the ground and crawls over before popping up again and clinging to my leg. "It's okay."

It was directed at both my friends and Shadow, but Leon points his gunblade angrily at it. "Cloud! Are you insane!? That thing will tell other Heartless where we are if we don't destroy it!"

"No it won't," I insist matter-of-factly. I summon more Heartless and everyone packs together tightly like a bunch of frightened sheep. Aerith pushes herself up against me but is careful to avoid contact with Shadow, who peers up at her with its haunting yellow gaze.

"Cloud, make them go!" Yuffie exclaims but nevertheless readies herself for an attack. "If you can really do what you say you can, then make them go!"

I heave a sigh. There's no reason for them to worry, but seeing as no one will accept this, I order the Heartless to disband. So they do.

I feel four sets of eyes trained on me. Three of which are hostile, and one which is afraid. Aerith steps away from me slowly and stares at me with fearful worry.

"Cloud," she whispers, retreating more until she's between Leon and Cid. "You're dark… I don't—… I don't like it…"

"There's nothing to worry about!" I tell her, taking a step forward. Leon moves partly in front of her. Yuffie looks on, unable to help, and Cid merely watches with little interest. He's probably still stunned from the Heartless' sudden appearance. "I'm not like Sephiroth or Maleficent. I won't use them for bad, I can—..."

No one looks impressed. I'm only trying to help...

Something snaps.

"Why can't you understand!?" I shout. They jump back in alarm, just like the Heartless before had. "Why can't you accept it?! It isn't like I'm trying to kill people with them! What's so wrong about it if I'm not even—"

I'm cut off.

Pain... Horrible pain... Back... Face... Legs...

Red and black... everywhere... Dizzy...

Voices... so far away...

... Black.

- - -

_**End Notes**: What happened to poor ickle Cloudderz? Well... You won't find out til chapter 4! X33!  
_


	5. Ch4: Lost Hope and Tears

Right. So, I sat down and forced myself to write this a few days ago. There are chapters 5 and 6 where this came from, but I won't put 5 up until this gets at least five reviews, and I won't put 6 up until 5 gets at least five reviews. You guys review, you get more chapters. Sounds fair to me : D

Kingdom Hearts and all its characters and that jazz are not mine. They are SquareEnix's and Disney's. Kudos to them.

- - -

**Aerith's POV**

- - -

One moment, I was afraid of Cloud and the darkness that he was using. He acted as if he was confused as to why we didn't like it. Yet, the next moment, I was afraid _for_ him. He had broken out into an angry tantrum and then suddenly collapsed in a fit of screams. Not yells or shouts like you would expect from a fully-grown man, but heart wrenching_ screams_.

I tore past Leon, who was probably just as surprised, but still seemed intent on making sure no one got hurt. But now, how was anyone else going to get hurt when Cloud was writhing around like that?

Frantically I threw myself upon him and had to practically shout comforts to be even the slightest bit sure that he could hear me. I clung tighter when darkness crept up along the ground and began to engulf him. I was well aware that he had _chosen_ to use darkness, but I wasn't about to lose him to the shadows.

"Aerith, get away!"

To my surprise, the voice wasn't Leon's or anyone else's who had been here the past few minutes. It had a familiar childish ring to it.

As much as I hated to, I let go of my love and stumbled back a bit until the Keybearer was in my view. He was also a short distance from Cloud, whose screams had ceased the moment I had let go; the moment the darkness swallowed him.

I had to look away from the mess of shadows to keep from completely breaking down, and yet I still couldn't hold back a series of choked sobs. Cid tried to comfort me. I wasn't sure what Leon and the others were doing, but I assumed they were still watching Cloud. Whether or not it _was_ the most wonderful man I knew that had been drowned in the shadows, a Heartless was sure to come from it. One always did.

No strange sound came to my ears—just an uneasy silence. What had happened? My tears were forced back temporarily so I could sneak a glance up at Cid, who was still turned in Cloud's direction. His mouth was wide open in an amazed gape. With the most dreadful, indescribable feeling weighing down my heart, I turned until I saw what he and everyone else was staring at.

In the place of Cloud was the nightmarish monster that had been described minutes ago. The monstrosity that had remorselessly taken lives and _children's_ lives at that... It was _Cloud_.

That was when it hit me like a brick. This was why he had been avoiding everyone. His darkness had finally been set free, and he didn't want anyone else involved.

Cloud...

He always tried to take on the world by himself. Others may have thought that it was because he didn't want anyone getting in his way, but I knew better. I knew it was more complicated than that. The thing that he cherished the most was having friends, and he would have gone mad if he lost a single one of us. In the process of making sure we weren't lost, he lost himself.

I felt more tears sting my eyes.

A vicious snarl that only the foulest of creatures could have made tore me back to reality. The Darkness was more frightening than its description had been, to the extent that even too-brave-to-be-healthy Yuffie was frozen on the spot. Even Sora, who had no doubt seen things probably ten times as horrible, was terrified. Perhaps it wasn't just the monster itself, but also the fact that you could immediately tell just by looking at it that it was _Cloud's_ darkness. That was horrifying enough.

The monster was now ominously quiet. Its legs were placed behind it in such a fashion that if it wanted to suddenly jump, it could propel itself forward with ease. It looked like a wild animal that was about to attack its prey. Everyone there was smart enough to know that it assumed we were there only to hunt and kill, just like every Heartless assumed. And yet... It stared with terrible, piercing crimson eyes. Heartless had glowing, yellow eyes. This wasn't a Heartless—it was simply _Cloud_. It was the accumulation of his darkness.

Was there really enough darkness in his heart to produce an abomination this horrible? I had thought Cloud to be better than that. I knew he was very troubled, but never would I have imagined that something like this was locked away inside of him.

The Darkness emitted a low hiss, and even the Shadow that had been attached to Cloud disappeared in the blink of an eye. If even it was scared...

"Hey!"

I jerked my head around just in time to see the monster, having leapt in our direction, be slashed at with Leon's gunblade. It yelped in surprise and apparent pain before retreating to a dark corner of the courtyard. A gash in its shoulder poured black blood. Hatefully, it glared at Leon, then with a flap of familiar demonic wings, lifted off the ground. Consumed by a mass of shadows that appeared, it was gone. Cloud was gone. Would he be back? I would like to have wondered as I turned to look at Leon to make sure he was okay. However, upon realizing he had been harmed as well, I didn't have time to think about Cloud. After rushing over to Leon and attempting to heal his wound, I found that magic would do nothing to mend it. Not even a potion worked.

So this was the power of darkness. My thoughts immediately ventured back to the blond man. He was frequently attacked by Sephiroth. Were injuries inflicted upon Cloud by him healed with magic? Or did he have to wait until they healed naturally? No... Not Cloud... Surely he wasn't cursed with something that horrible... And even if he was, why wouldn't he tell anyone? He had said I was the only one he would truly open up to. If I was so deep in confusion, how many secrets did he hold too close to his heart for even _me_ to hear?

* * *

After he was bandaged up, Leon was helped to his room against his will by Yuffie. Sora's friends Donald and Goofy showed up shortly afterwards, apparently having stayed at the marketplace a little bit longer than he had. While Sora explained to them what had happened, Cid did his best to comfort me. 

"I'm sure everythin'll end up okay," he reassured gently.

"Maybe..." was all I could think to say; I wasn't even sure if he was right. He didn't like my answer. A deep frown crossed his face.

"You're th'one thet believes in 'im th'most," came his contradiction. _That_ was true... Or perhaps it had used to be. I had recently learned more about Cloud than I ever thought existed, and I wasn't sure if I believed in him half as much as I had before. "When th'rest of us just give up on 'im, you keep on believin'. If you knock 'im off, what're we s'posed to do?"

His words had more of an impact than I'd expected. I found truth in them. Cloud _was_ very important to me, and I couldn't give up on him just like that. He would never do that to me.

"I'm sorry. Thank you, Uncle Cid," I said, hugging him.

"I ain't yer uncle," he replied. But I saw his smile and knew he understood. He was like a father to me and everyone else—he had been ever since Radiant Garden had been consumed by darkness. No matter how tough things got, Cid had always been there to give a kind word. You wouldn't know it by his demeanor, but he cared about the rest of us like a father would. Leon, Yuffie, and I knew that he was willing to make huge sacrifices for us. In fact, he already had.

Back at Radiant Garden, he had smoked often. When we were forced to Traverse Town, there were no cigarettes. He could have gone to a different world where there were, but he chose instead to stay with us. Of course, we knew he would have happily gone to more drastic measures for us.

Sora finished explaining the situation to his friends and the three came over to Cid and I. The poor kid looked horrible, like he had just watched one of his parents be killed. I sent a worried glance at Cid, while he exchanged it and patted Sora's shoulder.

"Maybe it would be best if you kept away from Hollow Bastion for a while," I suggested as easily as I could. "At least until we get this cleared up. We can't be taking any chances of you getting hurt and having to let it heal normally."

Sora nodded weakly before turning back to Donald and Goofy, who had currently devoted their existence to comforting him.

"I'm sure Cloud'll be okay," Goofy said, while Donald added, "Absolutely!"

That seemed to cheer up Sora a bit and he smiled a tiny little grin. He thanked us, then decided that he and his friends best be on their way so we could get this under control while they went off to make sure the other worlds were doing alright. I said we would let them know when it was safe to come back and, in the meantime, not to worry. Sora expressed that he would do his best, but at the same time, he would always be concerned for his friends. He considered Cloud his friend—and to think that Cloud would always go on about how no one loved him.

"Take care'a yerself, kid," Cid insisted as Sora and his friends started on their way. We watched them disappear into the castle. A few minutes after they had gone, I told Cid I would be on my way as well. I wanted to check on Leon again, and although I didn't dare tell him, I intended after that to go back to my room, lie down, and have a nice, long cry. I couldn't hold back such massive amounts of tears forever. Cid smiled a bit, but I knew he could tell how distressed I was. Then again, he _was_ Cid, and he respected me enough to let me have time alone. I was grateful for that.

* * *

Nine thirty. I had been crying for at least two hours. 

I was scared. Scared of what Cloud had let himself become, scared that he would never be the same again, but I was scared the most that, because of the darkness, he might not love me anymore. It hurt to think that I might not be held or kissed by him ever again; that I would never feel the comfort that I did when I was with him...

I knew I could survive without Cloud. I had, for nine years. As a matter of fact, I had begun getting over him after a while. That is, until he appeared on my doorstep.

He had looked so lost and confused when he showed up in the library a few years back. Darkness had led his way, not light. Just by looking at him, I could tell that Cloud had lost sight of the light long before. But by the way he acted, it was apparent that he hadn't forgotten it. One of the first things he said to me was that it hurt his eyes to look at me because of how bright I was. I was hurt, but at the same time, I felt so horrible for him. If he had been led that far away from goodness, what must he feel about it? He must have been tormented just by the fact that he would be considered 'dark.'

When he decided to stay a while, I devoted myself to bringing him back to the light. I knew he had a gentle heart past the icy wall, and that it would only take warmth to reach it. Sometimes I had felt that I was the only one who thought so. Cloud was almost always completely silent, which made him seem more ominous than he already did. His stares weren't dull or indifferent, they were hard and cold and so it didn't take much to think that darkness and hatred were the only things relevant to him. And yet no matter how hateful he may have seemed at times, I made sure he was at home, he was safe, and that he knew there would always be people who cared about him. At times, I may have been the only one who did care, and I never stopped loving him for a second. How could I when he needed me so?

I had thought that at least he could look at the light without hurting his eyes, if not try to be a part of it. Maybe, soon, he would have been able to enter the light and melt away the ice surrounding him forever. Maybe he would be able to use the light he found to scare away the darkness that wouldn't leave him alone. Maybe he could love without worrying that he would end up hurting those he cared about. It seemed like all this and more would be possible for him in a matter of time. There had been hope yet for the pitiful, broken man who had spent almost half of his life in lonely shadows.

Now it seemed like all the time and effort I had put into helping him find his way to the light was wasted. He was deeper in darkness than ever before, and he was out there somewhere, cold and lonely and probably hating himself too much to even put into words. My poor Cloud, terrified, alone...

Ten o'clock. The tears wouldn't stop coming.


End file.
